The Boyhood of Martin Luther King Jr.: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A short film with the title The Boyhood of Martin Luther King Jr. It consists of a single reel of color 16mm polyester film with optical sound.

The film uses voiceover narration, archival photographs, archival film footage as well as reenactments to tell the story of the civil rights leader's childhood. It opens with a discussion of the Nobel Peace Prize before the narrator states that, "On December 10, 1964, this honor went to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.," before moving on to some formative experiences in King's childhood. Some of the events/themes that arise in the film include Dr. King, Jr. being prevented from playing with his white best friend as a boy; the role of the church in Dr. King's upbringing; the role of Rev. King, Sr. and other members of the family in young Dr. King, Jr.'s upbringing; life lessons King, Jr. learned from playing sports with his friends as well as prominent individuals that inspired the young Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1984
• Directed by: Gerald Popper
• Written by: Gerald Popper
• Produced by: Gerald Popper
• Subject of: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., American, 1929 - 1968
• Subject of: Rev. Martin Luther King Sr, American, 1899 - 1984
• Distributed by: FilmFair Communications, American, 1968 - 1996
• Owned by: D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
• Type: sound films
• Type: color films (visual works)
• Type: short subjects
• Type: 16mm (photographic film size)
• Medium: polyester film
• Dimensions: Duration: 14 Minutes
• Dimensions: Length (Film): 500 Feet
• Place used: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
• Place depicted: Atlanta, Georgia, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Activism
• Topic: Children
• Topic: Civil Rights
• Topic: Documentary films
• Topic: Film
• Topic: Race relations
• Topic: Religion
• Object number: 2017.55.97.1a
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Transferred from the DC Public Library
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.